


Richard

by Catullus16



Category: Six (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Fix-It, Fluff, Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-10
Updated: 2018-08-10
Packaged: 2019-06-24 15:44:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15633744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Catullus16/pseuds/Catullus16
Summary: When Rip wakes up from the hospital at the end of Season 1 he realizes he no longer belongs, but decides to seize his chance at happiness.Short fix-it for the end of season 1, separate from any Season 2 info.





	Richard

Rip knew he didn’t belong in their world anymore. The capture had changed him, he had somehow made peace with all of the things he had done in the past. They didn’t weigh on him the same way they had before. Sure, they would always be there but he had learned to accept that and finally believed that maybe he did deserve some measure of happiness. The reckless drunkard was no more; captivity had been a quick and painful detox from more than just the alcohol. 

His truck was idling on the street and his thoughts were spinning, he felt pensive and didn’t want his burdens, though changed in form, to weigh on the people he once called family. They moved on without him and he had too. He couldn’t bring himself to step out of the car.  
Rip ran his fingers through his hair in a nervous gesture, subconscious in nature and belonging to a younger man. The drawing Esther had given him was almost burning in his pocket. The heat was overwhelming, like a fresh bruise, stinging and persistent. He felt someone approaching, the hair raising up on his neck warning of potential danger. It was only Buddha, not Michael or Boka Haram. 

Their exchange made it even more clear that he didn’t belong anymore, it was as if he was behind a cloudy glass window looking out at the world but separate. Through the haze he heard himself saying something about visiting his father. That bastard didn’t deserve his forgiveness but maybe it was time to put that to rest as well. Say goodbye before he left for good. The thought had been brewing for a while now and the burning was a reminder, a pull towards better things. The farther he traveled the cleared it became, America was no longer home. He didn’t even know what home meant anymore but he was hoping to find answers with…he couldn’t think of her name. If he did he might jinx it. 

Idaho was the same as he remembered, flat and empty. The road took a gentle slope and before him he saw a vast expanse of stones. He had made it. He parked the truck and finally got to stretch his legs, the folks in the first diner had put him off stopping as much as he could stand. People didn’t understand, they either hated him or condoned the killing. Neither was fair to the life he had taken or the choices that had led up to that night. Michael’s brother wasn’t just some faceless terrorist but neither was he entirely innocent. No one was really. 

Shaking his legs out he looked around the lawn. It was well maintained, though he didn’t see a groundskeeper. He paused at the gate trying to shake off the cobwebs and let his feet guide him two rows to the left and eight deep. There right in front of him the simple marker read Joe Taggart, Father and Husband. They had left off loving since it wasn’t that true; death had at least made the bastard honest. 

He hadn’t stopped for flowers but he brushed the plant debris from the top of the marker and bent to pick a nearby dandelion. A resilient weed living and even thriving amongst all the death. He had been that dandelion all his life trying to survive first his father and then the seals. He patted the stone and then cleared his throat, he hadn’t spoken in a while.

“Well I made it, you old bastard.” He started, meaning both to the gravestone for the first time in years but also made it in the sense that he survived the seals against the expectations of his father.

“I just wanted to…uh … say that I…well I forgive you. Not for your sake but for mine, I can’t carry you with me anymore. I just…I can’t carry all that hate anymore, you know. I hope you found peace up there in those pearly gates or some shit. Well that’s all I wanted to say, that and goodbye. I don’t think I’m coming back. Not just here, but America. So I guess this is goodbye.”

And with that he brushed off the grave again, looking around to all of the others that kept his father company. He felt centered now like the fog was starting lift, the bright sun seemed to color everything brighter than it had before. The burning was back, along with his purpose.  
It took a couple months and more favors than he wanted to count to find her. Na’omi. He could think it now, now that he was close and it might be real. His contact has said she moved back in with her family and since most of Boca haram had been killed she didn’t seem overly worried about staying and teaching again. He was nervous, no idea how she would react to his presence. Sure, he had saved her life but that could mean nothing now that she was home safe. She might even have a husband by now. He shook his head, no he couldn’t think like that. He was going to be happy to see her no matter her reaction and if all he got was a short visit, it would sooth his soul and he could move into a different country without regrets. 

The driver pulled to a stop and gestured to the home in front of them. He had wanted to see her first before the girls, gauge her reaction and then see the rest of them at the school. Come on you’ve done much scarier things. Rolling his shoulders, he stepped up to the door and knocked.

“Who is it?” A voice called, her voice.  
He had to clear he throat two times before his voice worked.  
“Richard” he said. He liked the thought of being Richard, everyone else called him Rip and it almost hurt to be called that now. A reminder of the brotherhood he had lost.

He heard feet pounding to the door and it was wrenched open. “Richard” she said hand to her mouth “Richard!” He looked down embarrassed not knowing what to do. “Richard” she said again and laughed pulling him into a tight embrace.  
His arms wrapped around her and it felt like the first real breath he had taken in months. He squeezed her tight and then stepped back, if he didn’t let go now he didn’t think he ever could. 

“How have you been?” He asked feeling oddly shy.

“I have been good; my family has accepted me back though it will never be the same as it was.”  
He nodded, understanding that she just like he was going through the same feeling of being a stranger in their own skin. “Can I come in,” he asked “or should we go for a walk?”

“A walk would be good,” she replied no doubt thinking about her family hovering over them. He stepped back from the door and allowed her to lead. 

“I came to see you, I’ve left America for good now, there’s nothing left for me there.” He wanted to just blurt out that he wanted to be with her maybe marry her and start a family with her but didn’t want to overwhelm her. “Are you teaching again?”

“Oh yes, the girls all want to learn.” As if that was the only thing needed for her to return to the scene of their capture every day. It probably was. 

“How has your family been about…” he trailed off not wanting to say what they both knew.

“I have been lucky,” she said “most families won’t accept girls back who have been taken.” She meant it both in regards to the kidnapping but also the rape. “They have been good to me but I am a shame to them, they try not to show it but I know it hurts them.”  
He could never understand that, nothing was her fault and yet they looked upon her as somehow tainted. It was wrong and he wanted to say so but knew it wasn’t his place. Still he said “None of it was your fault and no one should look down on you as a person or as a woman. You are so strong and I admire that in you.”

They continued down the path in silence until she broke it saying “Richard why are you here?”

He paused, working up the nerve to tell her the truth. He cleared his throat and pushed it out; “I just I couldn’t leave you or Esther. They took me back to the states to heal me but I didn’t want to leave you.” 

“Why?” she pushed, placing a hand on his arm to stop him from continuing to walk. He turned to face her; 

“I want to give us a chance, I want to run away with you and forget all of the bad things. I want it to be like Esther’s drawing, all of us happy. I want to be here with you if you’ll let me.”

“Oh Richard, there are so many things to think about and we must always take the bad and the good in life. But yes.” 

“Yes? Like yes yes?” 

She laughed sliding her hand down his arms to lace her fingers with his, “yes yes.” She said and leaned up to press a gentle kiss to his mouth. The breath whooshed out of his and he’s knees almost buckled. He squeezed her hand and pulled her in for another kiss, still gentle and tame but so much better than the hurried kisses he had planted on her face when he thought it the last time he would see her.  
He knew it wouldn’t be easy, they were both scarred in many ways but he knew it would be worth the work. She was such a bright presence and accepted him for who he was; the good and the bad just like she’d said. He smiled bright as day, probably the first in a long time and kissed her again. 

“Okay then, let’s go see the girls.”

He left his hand in hers and they went to find Esther.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!! I binge watched season one in less than recommended time and this story just needed to be written...at 3 in the morning :/ so please excuse any grammatical errors


End file.
